#exclusionists get put in the ribcage

[an-albino-pinetree]

Hits you with the creatureification beam-

[darkpoisonouslove]

Two Sides of the Same Drum

Summary: Attending a musical festival provides unexpected danger for Musa and Layla that sparkles unwanted memories. Once they shed those away, though, they’re left with the closeness between them. Canon divergence after 2x13.

Tugging on the charm bracelet around her wrist accomplishes nothing more than chafing where a thin sheen of sweat has formed on her skin thanks to the cursed thing. For a device meant to protect everyone at the festival from escalating situations, it has brought on only harm so far. Her magic is locked away just like Layla’s leaving their fate to how fast their feet can take them away from the violent mob of musical exclusionists on their tail.

All rhythm is lost to her breathing when they round another corner to find a long line of small pavilions providing no hiding opportunities. Her heart thumps angrily in her ears fighting against her inability to do so against the enemy. Running is not an option. Not because of her pride but because of the safety it can’t provide.

“Quick! In there!” Layla hisses, grabbing her wrist to drag her into the narrowest alley she’s ever seen.

It isn’t claustrophobia banging on her ribcage but she has to keep her eyes peeled–closing them won’t shut out the echoes in her mind anyway–in case their escape route was noticed. There is hardly anything they can do to protect themselves in the tiny space except maybe scale the walls if Layla can do that but she still has to stay on guard. She can’t get trapped in her head now and leave Layla alone like she’d been before her friends. Before Layla.

The rumble of the chase passes them by to leave their uneven breaths to count the movement of time. It is an eternity before their breathing normalizes with the threat still fresh and potent in their minds. The settling realization of safety isn’t in a hurry.

“Your heart is pounding,” the whisper slips from Musa’s mouth to startle them both. Layla’s pulse is like a drum under her palm that’s now covering the beating organ instead of being on Layla’s shoulder. It’s much too quiet in the alley next to the noise inside both of them. Eerie.

Layla mirrors her pose placing her hand over Musa’s chest as if to protect the rhythm underneath. “Yours is, too.” There’s a beat of hesitation before she asks, “The Earth alley?”

Musa shakes her head. The memory of the purple-haired thugs grabbing Layla was brought back to life by the present but it strikes her with a different kind of terror. It sinks her heart all the way into her heels instead of making it wail pitifully as the images kick her in the ribs. The concern in Layla’s eyes is what keeps her consciousness from slipping away.

Musa licks her lips. It is way too hard to make a sound despite the budding urge to scream. “It was freshman year,” she finally dives headfirst into the past. “I was cornered. Luckily, the others came to the rescue. Otherwise...” a tear rolls down her cheek dropping somewhere on her top or Layla’s skin. “I would have been done for.”

She’s like a party balloon deflating when the air’s let out of her but at least she doesn’t feel like bursting at the seams anymore. She’s never said the words before even if the truth rings loudly in her head every time the terror of her near-death experience emerges to block out any feelings for Riven. She can finally breathe through that trauma with the warmth of Layla’s skin on top of her heart.

Layla doesn’t say a thing, doesn’t move, doesn’t go for empty comfort. It’s the most understanding anyone has given her. Of course. Layla understands her. She always has. Better than anyone else even though their lives have been so different. Their scars are like those couple necklaces that fit together like one whole.

“What about you?” Musa sees clearly through the leftover curtain of water in her eyes. “You were the one who had the scare on Earth.”

“I’m fine,” Layla holds her gaze. “I’m not scared.” She isn’t putting a wall in the way, just waiting for Musa to catch up with her. Her heartbeat is the only thing still racing. That and Musa’s mind as it finds the exit from the loneliness she’s been lost in ever since the security of her own life was ripped out of her reach.

“Your heart’s still... excited.” A perfect reflection of hers but she’s not afraid. Not with Layla. They’re always there for each other like the two parts of one whole despite what rules their hearts at any given moment.

“It’s good when there’s someone to hear it,” Layla covers Musa’s hand and presses it harder into her chest. The confession is loud and clear and hushes all the hisses in Musa’s head.

There’s a curse directed at her height on the tip of her tongue. She has to swallow it so as to not taint the moment of touching her forehead to Layla’s. “I am not kissing you for the first time in a dirty alley,” she quells the pang of disappointment that ran through both of them alike.

Layla chuckles and the sound washes over Musa like an offering to her adoration of music.

“We’ll have a pick at a perfect background song at the festival,” she grabs Layla’s hand and pulls her towards the daylight outside. No angry mob is gonna get in their way now. All she needs is the magic of Layla’s heartbeat.